Unit

Unit Exercises 47
47 Reported speech 1 (he said that …) 47.1 You talked to some friends of yours (Paul, Tom, Anna etc.). Read what they said on the le (direct
speech). Later (the same day) you tell another friend what they said (reported speech). Complete
A Study this example situation: the sentences.
direct speech reported speech
You saw Paul yesterday and you want to tell somebody
1 : Are you going to work today, Paul? Paul didn’t go to work today. He said
what he said.
There are two ways of doing this: : No, I’m feeling ill. he was feeling ill.

I’m feeling ill. You can repeat Paul’s words (direct speech): 2 : Shall we walk to the station? I wanted to walk to the station, but
Paul said, ‘I’m feeling ill.’ : No, it’s too far. Let’s get a taxi. Tom said far.
Or you can use reported speech:
Paul said that he was feeling ill. 3 : Have you been invited to the party? Anna has been invited to the party but she
: Yes, but I don’t want to go. told me to go.
PAUL
Compare:
4 : When are you going away, Dan? I asked Dan about his travel plans. He said
: I’ll let you know next week. next week.
direct Paul said, ‘ I am feeling ill.’ In writing we use these quotation
marks to show direct speech.
5 : Do you ever see Rachel these days? I asked Ben about Rachel, but he told me
reported Paul said that he was feeling ill. : I haven’t seen her for a while. for a while.

6 : Where can I borrow a guitar? I needed to borrow a guitar and Kate said
B When we use reported speech, the main verb of the sentence is usually past (Paul said that … / : You can borrow mine. .
I told her that … etc.). The rest of the sentence is usually past too:
Paul said that he was feeling ill. 7 : How’s your job, Sue? I asked Sue about her job. She said
I told Lisa that I didn’t have any money.
: I’m not enjoying it very much. very much.
You can leave out that. So you can say:
Paul said that he was feeling ill. or Paul said he was feeling ill. 8 : Do you still have your car? I asked James about his car. He told me
In general, the present in direct speech changes to the past in reported speech: : No, I sold it a few months ago. a few months ago.
am/is → was do/does → did will → would
are → were have/has → had can → could 9 : What’s the name of the cafe we went to? I asked Sarah the name of the cafe we went
want/like/know/go etc. → wanted/liked/knew/went etc. : I don’t know. to but she said .
See also Unit 48A.
10 : How many students are there in your I asked Amy about her school and she told
Compare direct and reported speech:
class, Amy? me
You met Anna. Here are some of Later you tell somebody what Anna said. : Twenty. class.
the things she said in direct speech: You use reported speech:
I’ve lost my phone. Anna said that she had lost her phone. 47.2 Somebody says something to you which is not what you expected. Use your own ideas to complete
I want to buy a car. She said that she wanted to buy a car. your answers.
I can’t come to the party on She said that she couldn’t come to 1 : It’s quite a long way from the hotel to the city centre.
Friday. the party on Friday. : Is it? The man on the reception desk said it was only five minutes’ walk.
She said that she didn’t have much 2 : Sue is coming to the party tonight.
I don’t have much free time.
free time. : Is she? I saw her a few days ago and she said she .
My parents are fine. She said that her parents were fine. 3 : Sarah gets on fine with Paul.
I’m going away for a few days. She said that she was going away for a : Does she? Last week you said each other.
I’ll phone you when I get back. few days and would phone me when
ANNA 4 : Joe knows lots of people.
she got back.
: That’s not what he told me. He said anyone.
5 : Jane will be here next week.
The past simple (did/saw/knew etc.) can stay the same in reported speech, or you can change it to the : Oh, really? When I spoke to her, she said away.
C 6 : I’m going out tonight.
past perfect (had done / had seen / had known etc.):
: Are you? I thought you said at home.
direct Paul said: ‘I woke up feeling ill, so I didn’t go to work.’
reported Paul said (that) he woke up feeling ill, so he didn’t go to work. or 7 : I speak French quite well.
Paul said (that) he had woken up feeling ill, so he hadn’t gone to work. : Do you? But earlier you said any other languages.
8 : I haven’t seen Ben recently.
: That’s strange. He told me last weekend.

94 Reported speech 2 ➜ Unit 48 Reported questions ➜ Unit 50B ➜ Additional exercise 25 (page 316) 95
 Unit
Unit Exercises 48
48 Reported speech 2 48.1 Here are some things that Sarah said to you earlier:

A We do not always change the verb in reported speech. If the situation is still the same, it is not necessary to I’ve never been to the United States. I don’t have any brothers or sisters.
change the verb to the past. For example:
direct Paul said, ‘My new job is boring.’
reported Paul said that his new job is boring. I can’t drive. I don’t like fish. Jane has a very well-paid job.
(The situation is still the same. His job is still boring now.)
direct Helen said, ‘I want to go to Canada next year.’
reported Helen told me that she wants to go to Canada next year. I’m working tomorrow evening. Jane is a friend of mine. Dave is lazy.
(Helen still wants to go to Canada next year.)
You can also change the verb to the past: But later Sarah says something di erent to you. What do you say?
Paul said that his new job was boring.
Helen told me that she wanted to go to Canada next year. Sarah You
But if the situation has changed or finished, you need to use a past verb. Compare: 1 Dave works very hard. But you said he was lazy.
Paul le the room suddenly. He said ‘I have to go.’ (direct speech) 2 Let’s have fish for dinner. But
Paul le the room suddenly. He said (that) he had to go. (not has to go)
3 I’m going to buy a car.
4 Jane is always short of money.
B You need to use the past in reported speech when
what was said is di erent from what is really true. 5 My sister lives in Paris.
Joe is in hospital.
For example: 6 I think New York is a great place.
RACHEL
7 Let’s go out tomorrow evening.
You met Rachel a few days ago. She said:
Have you heard? Joe is in hospital. 8 I’ve never spoken to Jane.

Later that day you meet Joe in the street. You say: Rachel said 48.2 Complete the sentences with say or tell (in the correct form). Use only one word each time.
Joe, this is a surprise. Rachel said you were in hospital. you were
(not ‘you are in hospital’ – it’s clear that he isn’t) 1 Anna said goodbye to me and le .
in hospital
JOE
2 us about your holiday. Did you have a nice time?
3 Don’t just stand there! something!
4 I wonder where Sue is. She she would be here at 8 o’clock.
C say and tell
5 Dan me that he was bored with his job.
If you say who somebody is talking to, use tell: 6 The doctor that I should rest for at least a week.
Rachel told me that you were in hospital. (not Rachel said me) 7 Gary couldn’t help me. He me to ask Chris.
What did you tell the police? (not say the police) 8 Gary couldn’t help me. He to ask Chris.
Otherwise use say: 9 Don’t anybody what I . It’s a secret just between us.
Rachel said that you were in hospital. 10 ‘Did Kate you what happened?’ ‘No, she didn’t anything to me.’
(not Rachel told that …)
What did you say? 48.3 The following sentences are direct speech:

You can ‘say something to somebody’: Don’t wait for me if I’m late. Mind your own business.
Anna said goodbye to me and le . (not Anna said me goodbye)
What did you say to the police? Don’t worry, Sue.
Please slow down! Can you open your bag, please?

D We say ‘tell somebody to …’ and ‘ask somebody to …’ .

Compare direct and reported speech: Hurry up! Will you marry me? Do you think you could give me a hand, Tom?
direct ‘Drink plenty of water,’ the doctor said to me.
reported The doctor told me to drink plenty of water. Now choose one of these to complete each of the sentences below. Use reported speech.
direct ‘Don’t work too hard,’ I said to Joe.
1 Will was taking a long time to get ready, so I told him to hurry up .
reported I told Joe not to work too hard.
2 Sarah was driving too fast, so I asked .
direct ‘Can you help me, please,’ Jackie said to me.
reported Jackie asked me to help her. 3 Sue was nervous about the situation. I told .
4 I couldn’t move the piano alone, so I .
You can also say ‘Somebody said (not) to do something’: 5 The security guard looked at me suspiciously and .
Paul said not to worry about him. (but not Paul said me) 6 The man started asking me personal questions, so I .
7 Carl was in love with Maria, so he .
8 I didn’t want to delay Helen, so I .

96 Reported speech 1 ➜ Unit 47 Reported questions ➜ Unit 50B ➜ Additional exercise 25 (page 316) 97